1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of shelters for animals. In particular, this invention relates to a pet shelter which may be converted from an open-air covering for use during warm weather to a weatherproof structure for use during cold or inclement weather.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous types of pet shelters have heretofore been designed and constructed. The traditional doghouse is an example generally having a roof, four walls, and a door opening in a front wall. While the traditional doghouse affords basic protection from the elements, the design provides only limited fresh air ventilation to the interior of the structure. Adequate fresh air ventilation is essential to the health and well-being of a pet. Insufficient ventilation can make the shelter uncomfortable or even uninhabitable during hot summer months, while too much ventilation may result in inadequate protection from the elements during cold or inclement weather.
Doghouses have been designed with various window configurations to promote ventilation within the structure. Alternate designs, such as that illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,956, incorporate ventilation channels into the structure of the shelter. However, both designs suffer from similar disadvantages. First, the ventilation provided is fixed and incapable of being adjusted to compensate for seasonal changes or weather variations. This may result in a shelter which is too cold and drafty for winter use, yet too hot and stuffy for use in warmer weather. Second, existing designs are incapable of being converted to an open, pavilion-like structure to provide shade and rain cover for the pet, while allowing fresh air to ventilate through the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,910 discloses a dog transportation box with removable side walls which are imperforate and a method of converting a transportation box from a ventilated configuration to a substantially imperforate configuration. However, the disclosed invention requires side walls having longitudinally spaced vertical structural members (as in a cage) which restrict the pet's access to the transportation box when the doors of the transportation box are closed.
Thus, there is a need for a pet shelter designed to permit the pet owner to adjust the degree of ventilation provided by the shelter and allow for conversion from a closed, weatherproof shelter to an open-air covering.